Mission
by Deadly Fangs
Summary: It's been 11 years since Raphael left Maya and their children (read Back to War if you're confused) and things haven't been all that well. Nico, now a 15 year old, is determined to make things right...even if he doesn't know just yet how hard his mission will be. Will fate be kind? Or will it be cruel? Rating may change in the future. Part of my SAINW world.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT or its characters. I do however own Maya, Suki, Nico, Cora and Noah. They are mine and cannot be used without my permission.

Yeah, new story...kinda on a roll tonight and though I would finally post this after having it collect computer dust for the last year and a half. Enjoy.

 **XxX**

"Ow...ow...OW! Will ya stop doing that!?"

Huffing in annoyance at her brother, Suki leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest as he pulled his hooded vest back on while being carefull of the bandages now covering his back. "Who were you fighting this time Niko? You know Mom don't like it when you do that."

The only answer she got was a snort as he pulled the hood up and poked his ears through the holes at the top. After that, he stood up and made his way towards his room.

"Niko, seriously. You need to stop doing that. Mom's not in the best of health anymore and you going out and getting into trouble isn't helping her at all."

"Ya think I don't know that? Ma isn't in good health because our FATHER isn't around to help. She works her fingers to the bones raising the four of us and working in the orchard!"

Suki watched as as Nico paced the room, his ears flat against his head while his tail flicked back and forth. She knew the subject of their father was a sensitive subject for him, as his leaving had hit him the hardest of all of them. Cora and Noah never knew Raphael, so his leaving never left a hole in their lives...Suki herself knew that sooner or later, he would have to leave them to go back to war with his brothers, their uncles, to protect them and this world from the evil of the Shredder.

At least, that was what she could remember from listening in on the stories their Uncle Usagi spoke of with her parents when she was little...

"That's why Mom needs you to stop fighting...it's bad enough you left school..."

"What good is that place anyway? We're OUTSIDERS Suki, ya know this! We'll never get a job in town, plus, I've learned all I wanted to learn. I can read, write and do math..." He counted out the three simple things by flicking the three, sharp and thick claws out on his right hand, using his pointer claw to pick at something stuck between his teeth. "I can hunt for my food in the lake and build my own shelter..."

"Not if you keep getting your butt kicked by the local bullies."

Nico hissed and flashed his fangs at her, his tail puffing up and his ears going flat again. "It wasn't a fair fight to begin with! Five grown men again one 15 year old is a load of bull-"

"A load of what?"

Turning around, both Nico and Suki watched as Noah walked in the front door carrying a basket of rice. They could hear Cora, the older twin, outside helping their mom bring the rest of the goods inside.

"Um...nothing kid, forget I said anything." Nico stated as he ruffled Noah's furry head, gently flicking his dark green ears.

"Stop! I'm not a baby anymore, you can't keep doing that!"

"Couldn't fooled me..."

"Nico, leave him be." Maya said as she walked in through the door carrying a small bag of sugar while Cora carried in the rest of their food. "We've had a long day in the orchard and in town. Apparently there was a fight in the town square this morning..." She glanced at the bandages peeking out from around the side of Nico's hooded vest. "No one saw who it was, but they took on 5 grown men."

"Hah! I could have taken them on!" Cora stated, her sharp fangs a contrast to the blackness of her fur and shell as she grinned smuggly. "And I would have won instead of running away!"

"You get into a fight at your age and I'll ground you missy." Maya said firmly. Bad enough one of her children was a scrapper, she didn't need two of them getting into fights. "Now...Suki dear, could you please help the twins put the food away and start making supper? I need to talk to Nico for a moment."

"You're in trouble! You're in trouble!" Cora mocked as Nico snarled and hissed at her. The two of them were so much alike that they were always butting heads and not a day went by that there wasn't some sort of skuffle in their small house between them.

"Cora, please...you know I'm not feeling well...please keep it down..."

"Sorry Mom."

Nico glared and quickly flicked Cora with his tail while following Maya outside. He felt like he was 6 years old again after dumping freezing water onto Cora and Noah during a trip into town...Maya had simply looked sadly at him and shook her head while comforting her youngest offspring and drying them off before calling it a day early and heading back to their home. He felt like a brat then and he was feeling like a brat now. "Ma...I..."

"It's okay Nico...I know those men are bullies. I just wish..." She had to pause for a moment to cough and catch her breath before continuing. "I just wish you wouldn't get into so many fights...you're meant for so much more..."

"Ma...I'm never going to be anything more then just a scrapper...I'm a failure as a ninja..."

She remembered that day...Nico had been training at the local dojo up until he was 12...the teacher had told her that he had the skills but not proper discipline to be a ninja and had promply kicked him out of the building. It had broken his heart and he vowed never to become a ninja after that.

"It's not your fault dear...Raphael leaving...I know it hurt you the most...you've had to be the man of the house since you were four...but you're good at other things...your carvings are beautiful and bring in extra money."

"My carvings...only good thing I can do with my claws..."

"We all have strengths and weaknesses Nico...we just...sometimes take longer..." Her words were getting lighter, her breathing more ragged as she fought to catch her breath. Curse this blasted illness for settling in her lungs. It would take months of pricey medicine to make it leave or twice as long without it...and with their gold stretched thin, she couldn't afford the medicine.

Nico's ears flicked towards Maya as she started coughing, his eyes wide as he carefully took her shoulders and lead her back inside. "C'mon Ma, lets get ya back in where it's warm. The cold does ya no help. Suki!" He yelled as he helped Maya in through the door. "Ma isn't feeling well again, think ya can make her some tea?"

"Of course. Noah, crush up the herbs for me. Cora, keep an eye on the rice while I boil the water. Nico..."

"Way ahead of ya. C'mon Ma, lets get ya in bed, hmm? Ya'll feel better if ya lay down..."

Nico instictively flattened his ears again when Maya simply nodded and continued to cough, her lungs fighting against the illness that was sapping her strength. He helped her into her bed and tucked her in before carefully hugging her and excusing himself from her room. His siblings would look after her now...he had to get away before he punched another hole in the wall.

Raphael...their father...the man who had walked out on them one night without a goodbye...this was HIS fault! It was because of him that their mother was so sick and they were struggling to get by! And yet...even though his heart ached from the pain, his brain said that if Raph could have stayed with them, he woul have.

"Yeah, right...hold on just a lil longer Ma...I'm gonna make things right again soon...just you see..."

With that, he vanished into the orchard, setting his plan, and his fate, into motion.

 **XxX**

Yeah, Nico isn't a happy camper right now...and who can blame him really, what with Maya sick with an unknown lung illness. I know I could bring a Healer into the picture, but that would take away from the story, so...we'll just pretend that the Healers aren't around right now, m'kay?

Remember! Reading + Reviewing equals one happy Deadly Fangs!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See first chapter

Not sure how I really feel about this chapter...but I want to give you guys a look into how things are for Nico and his family with Raph gone...and the best way to do that is to give it a slightly so start. Hopefully you all understand.

Enjoy.

 **XxX**

Nico was busy slowly clawing the excess wood away from the carving he was working on. The lady that worked the flower shop in town wanted a special birthday gift for her son and had heard of the work he had done. So there he was on a hot summer day, fiddling away in the small shack he had made for his projects. He wouldn't earn much from this one, but that was okay. The main project he had was going to earn them enough money so that when he set his plan into motion, they wouldn't struggle.

"Nico! I know you're in there! Open the door before I kick it down!"

He couldn't help it. His tail fluffed up and his ears went back as he heard Cora banging on the door to his shack. She just rubbed the fur on his upper back and shoulders wrong.

True to her word, Cora kicked the door to the shack open and marched in like she owned the small space.

"Why...why out of all my siblings did Ma have to send ya? She KNOWS how much you get under my skin and fur!"

"Mom didn't send me, Suki did. Get your ass home Nico, it's your turn to help with the orchard today."

"I'm busy. I need to get this carving done tonight or I don't get payment."

"Yeah yeah whatever. Your work is crap anyway."

That pissed him off. He slammed his fist down onto the small table and pointed a finger at her, only the tip of the claw showing, and hissed. "My work is not crap and ya know it ya lil shit stain! It's because of my work that we were able to by new clothes for ya and Noah last month!"

"I don't need clothes, I have a shell! Look at me, I'm more turtle then anything! I'm just covered in black fur, have a tail and cat ears...shell, even my shell is black!"

"That's not the point and ya know it." He put the carving into a small fabric sack so that the wood could breath and not warp on the trip back home. "And stop swearing. What would Ma say if she heard ya swearing like that?"

"I'd blame it on you."

Nico had had enough by that point and made it very clear by chucking a piece of wood at Cora's head. "Just get out! Get out ya lil brat!"

Cora ducked with a yelp and darted out the still open door, screaming that Nico would pay for that before running back to their house.

He simply ignored her, grabbing whatever tooks he might need to finish the carving before leaving his shack and moving deeper into the orchard. He knew the fruit wasn't yet ripe for the picking but there were thieves cutting down their trees and taking it who knows where. He had stopped one before, but the weird grey creature had connections and the mayor of their small town had let him go with no charges. Since then, Nico and Suki had taken turns going through the orchard, making sure that their main source of income was remaining in one piece.

Taking the carving out of the fabric sack, he continued working on it while his ears flicked in all directions. He would inspect the orchard, yes...but he still had his own job to do. And if he was to complete his mission, he had to complete all jobs until his main project was done.

 **XxX**

It had been several hours, but Nico was done inspecting the orchard. There were no missing trees, and he was almost done with the carving. It was simple; a horse in mid-gallop, it's mane flying back against the unseen wind. He had chosen cherry wood for the right colour, for he never painted his carvings, and worked some deeper scratches into the main and tail so that it would have depth. He would stop by home quick to report his findings before going into town and collecting his payment.

"Ya'll bring my family about 20 gold...not much, but every little bit helps..."

He worked on the nostrils next, making sure they had a slight flare to them, speaking to the carving as though it was alive. It helped calm him, strange though it was.

"Ya're one of my better works...and if I don't hurry, I wont get to town in time and get paid." Putting the carving back into the pouch, he moved onto all fours and ran back home.

 **XxX**

By the time he got home, reported that the orchard was okay, arrived in town and delivered the carving and got his payment, it was almost dark. But Nico wasn't done for the day yet, not by a long shot. He moved silently through town, his stripes heling him blend into the shadows of the buildings and into the library unnoticed.

Last time he was here, he had stolen one of the forbidden scrolls and traveled to a different dimention while also going back in time. He could never speak of what he had seen or done in that time, but it had saved Noah and prevented Cora from getting ill as well, so it was worth it.

Now though...now, he had to find a different book...one that would tell him how to travel to different worlds...he had been gathering up the items needed to open the portal but needed to find the words that would cast the spell.

Gathering up all the books he could carry, he brought them over to a table and lit several candles. He then settled down and poured over the open tomes, scanning through the faded writting, hoping that tonight he would find the proper spell.

The clock was ticking as his fate grew near, whether he could feel it or not.

 **XxX**

So, yeah...Nico is a bit of a wood worker, using his claws to make carvings and selling them for gold (I completely forget what kind of money system they have, so I'm just using normal gold.) so his family can have a little extra. And what's his big project? Well...you'll find out in the next chapter.

Remember! Reading + Reviewing equals one happy Deadly Fangs!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See the first chapter. I do however own Tog and the family horse.

This chapter is for Villians' Bad Girl, the ONLY person to review this story thus far. Perhaps you would like to give the family horse a name? As for Tog, you'll all get to know more about him later.

Please, enjoy.

 **XxX**

Nico was choking on the sawdust as well as tasting it, and he was pretty sure there were wood chips and splinters in his ears and fur, but he was done.

His big project was complete.

Nico ran a soft cloth over the table and brushed some dust off one of the four chairs with his tail. He then turned his attention over to the crib, changing table and rocker. It had taken him months, about 8, before he had finished all the pieces but he was proud. Cherry wood and oak, with mix of maple thrown in, had given this project life.

"This will earn my family tons...enough ta help Ma out with her illness and have plenty extra." He still couldn't believe how luck he was that he, an outsider, was picked out of all the other wood workers for something this big.

The only big problem was getting it into town without Maya finding out. He wanted this to be a surprise before he left.

Going outside his extra shack, he took off his hooded vest and shook it out before getting down on all fours and shook himself clean of the dust. Suki hated when he did that, but it was the quickest and easiest way to get himself clean.

And he really...REALLY...didn't want to take a dip in the pond before heading into the village. After carefully pulling the small chunks and splinters in his ears, then pulling his hooded vest back on, he headed back towards home so that he could hook up the old family horse to the wagon.

 **XxX**

Suki was busy hanging up fish to dry outside the house. Cora and Noah were at school, Maya was in bed resting and she was waiting for her special guest to arrive. He was the son of Traximus, a friend of her father, named Tog. He told her that interdimentional travel was banned due to the Shredders increase in power, he would keep their monthly date and see her later that night.

Tog had told her before that he wanted to take her away from the risk of war, as his mate, but she couldn't leave her family. It saddened him to hear that but at the same time, he was proud of her loyalty to her family.

 _'If your family is at risk of attack, I shall bring my father and we will protect you. You told me before that family protects family. You are to be my mate and that makes you family. I will always protect you.'_

He had her heart since that night.

Finishing hanging the fish, she turned and headed into the stable to feed and water the family horse, smiling up at the old animal. "Hello old friend. How are you fairing today?"

"Hello Suki. I'm fine, eye sight is still fuzzy but I'm as strong as ever."

She smiled and petted her muzzle. She had inherited Maya's ability to talk to animals, which made working with them that much easier.

"Well...as sad as I am to hear that, you are pushing 13. You're allowed to age a little. What do you feel like having today? Wheat? Some whole grain? Or would you like to go out into the pasture and graze?"

"Oh, out into the pasture, please. It's been ages since I was let out to graze."

"Ask and you shall recive."

Opening the gate to the stall, Suki lead the horse out towards the pasture, scratching at her neck when she nuzzled her. "Now remeber to stay away from the boggy area. You were stuck for hours last time."

"I will...you tell your friend to keep out of my stable though. Last time, you two almost fell through the ceiling."

Laughing at the cheeky nature, Suki watched as she galloped off. After making sure the gate was locked tight, she headed back inside and made sure things were ready for tonight.

 **XxX**

A bit of a short chapter, yes...but now you all know what Nico's big project was and just who is Tog? Well...I may do a side story of when he shows up or do some side chapters of his and Suki's time together.

Remember! Reading + Reviewing equals one happy Deadly Fangs! (Seriously guys, review. It lets me know if you like the story or not and what you would like to see.)


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See first chapter.

Credit for the horses name, which is now Abbacus, goes to Villians' Bad Girl. This chapter is for him/her, along with another writer who wishes to remain a 'ghost'. The Ghost requested some Nico kicking 'shell' and sticking up for Suki. Sorry I didn't do the fight scene, but I got off work no more then...4 hours ago now, so I'm done.

Anyway, please enjoy.

 **XxX**

"Nico, have you seen your sister?"

Nico looked over at Maya, who was looking outside. He should have been helping to make supper, but honestly, he didn't want to. Cooking was Suki's job after all...it wasn't his fault she was late.

And yet...

"Sorry Ma, haven't seen her since this morning."

"I'm worried about her. She hasn't been acting like herself for the past few days, ever since Tog came to visit."

Nico snarled. "I don't trust that guy. I don't care if his father is a friend of our family, something about him just feels...off."

"We need to remember that he's risking his life by coming to visit us. There's an interdimentional

law that forbids travel because of Shredder..."

"Doesn't mean I have to like his scally ass..."

"Nico, that's enough. He is our guest and we WILL treat him with respect."

Grumbling under his breath, Nico nodded and turned his attention back to the pot of water. He hated cooking, with a passion...it didn't calm him down like his carvings did, but if he stood any chance of completing his mission in the up coming months, he would need to learn.

Now that he knew the words to the spell that would take him there and back, all he needed was...

"SUKI!"

Looking up in alarm at the shock and fear in Maya's voice, Nico's eyes went wide as he saw Suki slowly limp in, her normal white fur tacky with drying blood.

"Suki baby, what happened!?" Maya ran over to her oldest and gently grabbed her around her waist before her legs gave out on her. "Nico, get the bandages, quickly!"

"I'm fine Mom..." Suki said quietly, her head low and her normally braided hair spilling over her shoulder, her dress torn and exposing her shell. "It's nothing...really..."

"You are not fine and this is not nothing! Where's Tog? You two were suppose to be back hours ago!" It was then that Maya could see Suki's lower lip trembling as she struggled not to completely break down. "Suki...?"

"Please Mom...not...not now..."

Maya felt her heart squeeze for her first born. She had questions, lots of them, but right now, Suki needed her now more then ever. Taking the bandages from Nico, she gave him strict instructions not to let Cora and Noah into her room and to make sure they got to bed on time. "I'm counting on you Nico. Watch your sister and brother."

Nico nodded and watched as Maya shut the door to her room. Flattening his ears, he turned his attention back to the pot of water, and waited.

 **XxX**

It was hours later before Nico finally heard Suki cry.

He had already fed Cora and Noah, and had sent them off to bed, so he quickly checked on them to make sure they were both sound asleep. As normal, Cora was sleeping on her stomach, her nest of blankets piled up ontop of her, while Noah was spralled everywhere, his blankets only half covering him.

Leaving them sleeping, he pressed an ear to the wall and listened, hoping that he could figure out just what went down.

"I...want...Daddy...!"

"I know baby...I know...I want him back too..."

Closing his eyes tight at the mention of their father, Nico bit back a growl. If Suki was hurt bad enough that she was crying for Raph...

"He took...he took my ribbon..."

"Your ribbon...you mean Raph's old mask?"

"Yes..." There were several loud coughs. "He said...if I want it back...I will leave...with him..."

That one sentance threw Nico into a rage. That was the only thing Suki had of their Father to remind her of him and some...some JERK...took it from her?

There would be shell to pay...

Whether it was someone from the village...or Tog...

There would be BLOOD.

 **XxX**

Maya was pissed.

First, Suki had come back home beaten to a pulp, and she was sure she wasn't telling her something...and now, after tucking her into bed, she found that Nico was gone. When that boy of hers got home, he was in for one major punishment.

"Speak of the devil..." She stood up and crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at the door slowly opened. "Where the shell have you BEEN Nico! You left without a word and..." She cut herself off as, for the second time that night, one of her children slowly limped in.

Nico was far worse then Suki, with a split lip and he right ear slightly torn and badly bleeding, along with several other wounds she couldn't see.

"Nico...?"

Saying nothing, he slowly held up Raphs old mask and let it fall into Maya's open palms, then turn and started heading outside again to wash up.

"Nico, what happened? Who did you attack?"

"Doesn't matter Ma...but I made my statement loud and clear tonight..."

"And...that is...?"

He slowly turned his head and looked over his shoulder at her, most of face hidden by his hood save for his glowing eyes.

"No one messes with my family...ever..."

And with that, he walked outside.

 **XxX**

And with that, this chapter is done...and so is my mind. Hope you all enjoyed it.

Remember! Reading + Reviewing equals one happy Deadly Fangs!


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